Ingot stripper



' May 26, 1931,

c. L. B lGLER ET AL INGOT STRIPPER Filed Jan, 5,. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 26,- 1931 c. L. BIGLER ET AL INGOT STRIPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1929 n n i un um n l wmm. ,l b.

May 26, 1931. c. L. BIGLER ET AL 1,307,275

INGOT STRIPPER Filed Jan. 5. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 26,

,. 1 UNITED-STATES PATENT/OFFICE,

CLINTON L- BIGLER AND JOHN KLOOS, F ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE MORGAN ENGINEERING COMPANY, ALLIANCE, OHIO INGOT STBIPPER Application filed January 5, 1929. "Serial No. 330,583.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for stripping a mold from a metal ingot, and the primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whereby the force employed to pull an ingot from a mold will be counteracted by means for imparting suchforce to the mold to facilitate the separation of the ingot from the latter.

It has heretofore been proposed topush an ingot from an open bottom mold while lifting the mold relatively to'the ingot, but so far as we are aware, previously, it has never been proposed to lift the ingot from a closed bottom mold, while causing the liftingstress to be transmitted to the mold 'for forcing the latter downwardly while the ingot is being lifted.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a portable stripper crane adapted particularly forhandling ingots'out of closed bottom molds, in which the ingots are cast with the larger part uppermost. This type of-mold is usually provided with a hot top made of some" refractory material which is broken away from the ingot in the present invention, by-the tong bits before the ingot is withdrawn from the mold.

Another object is to furnish such an apparatus including ingot handling tongs de-, signed to lift or pull the ingot out of the mold while a double acting screw cooperating with the'tongs-is serving to. position arms which hold the ingot mold down. The machine is designed to produce a very great pulling or stripping force with the tongs, say as high as'150 tons, and as the tongs are mampulated" foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter de scribed in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

' Referring to the drawings,

Fig. lis an elevation of the improved apparatus. I Y

Fig. 2 is a similarenlarged view, partly in vertical section, and with certain parts omitted to facilitate illustration.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of certain essential features of the mechamsm. r

i Fig. 4 is a side-elevation of the parts shown inFig.3. i

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a detail.

' Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view ofa detail on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring first to Fig. 1 it will be noted that the mold 1 is of the closed bottom type,

and has an internal chamber of substantially inverted cone shape, to facilitate the withdrawalof the ingot 2 upwardly. As is usual, such mold is provided with a hot top ring or -attachment'(n ot shown), forthe purpose of forming the hot top 3 that functions as an extension to be grasped by the tongs hereinafter described, for removing the ingot.

Upper lugs4 project from opposite sides of the mold, and are designed to be engaged by suitable lifting mechanism when the mold is to be shifted from place toplace, and similar lugs ,5 are arranged on the lower part of the mold, below the center of gravity of the latter, to be employed when the mold is to be lifted and turned upside down.

One or more of such molds may be arranged on a-stool 5a, mounted on top of a car 6, which rolls along the rails 7."

These rails are arranged parallel to overhead rails 8, on which the, stripping mechanism carriage travels. Such carriage preferably consists of end blocks 9 forming bear ings for rollers 10 that travel on the tracks 8 and support spaced girders 11 which carry tracks 13 for the wheels 14 of a. trolley 12.

v From the foregoing, it. will be apparent that the girders 11 may be moved along the tracks 8, and that the trolley 12 may be shifted along the girders in lines perpendicular to the tracks The trolley supports suitable motors, clutches, gearing and winding drums, employed in manipulating the mechanism, and a depending extension (Fig. 2) of the trolley which is suspended from the carriage 14 and arranged between the girders 11, supports a cage 15 to ,be occupied by the operator, and which is adapted to contain the electrical control apparatus (not shown) for the operating mechanism of the trolley 12. The cage provides a platform, so located that the operator can obtain a satisfactory View of the ingot while it is being stripped and removed from the mold.

A double screw 16, forming an important part of the operating mechanism, has an upper thread 18 which is pitched opposite from the lower thread 19. For example, it is preferred to provide the part 18 with a right hand thread, and the part 19 with a left hand thread, and these threads should be of the buttress type, with the strai ht side of the threads toward the middle 0? the screw, for the reason that when the pressure is on the screw, the screw is under tension,and the forces act in the directions indicated by the arrows w-b.

The double screw has an upwardly projecting extension-21 which is of square cross section, (Fig. 6) and is adapted to slide up and down in a bushing 22, having asquare bore. This bushing is provided on the-stripper barrel 23, which extends through the trolley. Suitable gearing on the trolley is employed to rotate a gear 24, fast on the barrel 23, and whenv the gear 24'is rotated, similar rotation is imparted to the screw. At the top of the barrel 23, a tubular cover 25 is provided, and this coverhas a cap 26, and the cover and cap enclose the screw extension 21, and protect the latter and the screw from dust and dirt. Of course, the cover is of suflicient length to provide for the upward movement of the screw extension 21.

The screw 18 is positioned'within a structural steel shell or tube 27, which depends from, and is suppdrtedby the trolley rame 14;and acts as a guide for the stripper mechanism; Such mechanism can be raised and lowered in the shell by cables 28 and 29, Fig. 3), which are wound at theirupperends on hojstin drums that are located on the trolley, an driven by electric motors through gear trains. These parts are shown more or less diagrammaticallyin Fig. 1, but as they are of known construction,-1t will be unnecessary to describe the same in detail, except to say that the cables'28 are operated by one pair of drums acting in unison, and the cables 29 are operated by another pair of drums acting in unison.

, mold, while the ingot is being strippedfifrom 1b The weight of the suspended portion of the I strippin mechanism is partially counterweighte by counter-Wei hts (not shown), which slide up and down in the shell 27, but

in direction opposite to that of the direction of the motion of the suspended portion of the. lt-ripper ,mechanism. Each counter-weight may be connected to a cable passing over a sheave on the trolley, and connected at its opposite end to the stripper housing 34, herein-after referred to.

The upper screw 18 works in a non-rotary I nut 31 which is secured at its upper end, as shown at 33, to the upper end of the housing 34, and the lower screw 19 engages a non-ro- 30 upper ends of these arms are plvotally con- 5 nected at 38 to links 38a. These links are pivotally connected at their opposite ends to depending arms on rocking levers 40, which are pivotally mounted at 41 on the housing 34. Each of these levers has an outwardly extending arm connected at 42a to the lower end of one of the cables 28, and each lever also has an inwardly extending arm connected at 43a to one 'of the cables 29. From this it may be seen that when the weight of the suspended portion of the stripper mechanism falls upon the inner cables 29, the levers 4O willforce the upper ends of the stripper arms 36 inwardly, and in consequence, the

. lower ends of these arms will be moved out 7 loo wardly, as will be clear from a consideration of Fig, 3. On the other hand, when the weight of the stripper mechanism is transferred to thehoist cables 28, the reverse action occurs, and the arms the axis of the mold.

Each arm 36 is provided with a cross mem-H her or abutment 41a, curved horizontally and designed to rest on the upper. edge of the the latter. The lower ends of the arms are provided witheyes 42, adapted to engage the lugs 4 or 5 on the mold, when the mold is to be lifted or handled by the machine.

or housing 43, provided internally with downwardly diverging 'guides or tracks 44 that re-. ceive trunnions or, rollers 45 on the upper ends of tong leversj46. .These levers are piv -f ad these rods have theirlower ends connected-to the links at thepojnts 52, 'While their upper ends slide through openings 55 in aif la'nge at the lower 133 are swung toward :05

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5', the lower end of the ram 35 is fixed to the tongs cap a peripheries 5 end of the housing 34. Above the flange,

each rod is provided with a nut 54, threaded on the upper end of the rod, and used for adjusting a buffer spring 53 which surrounds the rod and is located between .the nut and said flange.

Each of the tong levers 46 is provided-at its lower end with a bit 56, preferably made of hardened steel, and fitted to the tong lever in such a manner as to be readily replaced as i the bit wears down. Each bit is held in place by a tapered wedge key 57, and the lower edge 58 of the bit forms a projection for the lower edge 59 of the tong lever. Each bit is partially kept in place in its respective lever by a shoulder 60. 4

From the foregoing, andan examination of Fig. 5, it may be seen that whenthe cap 43 is raised by manipulation of the screw 16, 2 that the points of the bits will be caused to. move in arcs which extend upwardly from the top of the mold, and consequently, as the bits move toward one another, they also rise so they will not alone grip the hot top-"of the ingot, but they will simultaneously lift the ingot out of the mold.- In order that this operation may be readily understood, .note that the nut32 of the ram 35 which carries the cap 43, is normally at the lower-end of. the screw 19, and consequently, when. the screw is turned in the proper direction, the

nut, ram and cap 43 will be lifted. As the cap rises, the rollers 45 on the upper ends of the tongs will be forced away from' oneanother by the diverging guides of the cap, and simultaneously, the bits 56 of the tongs will be moved'inwardly and upwardly, so that the powerfulforce exerted by the screw is imparted to the bits, and thev first break away refractory portions of the hot top, and after they have penetrated the ingot top sufii ciently to give them a good hold on the ingot, the entire pulling or stripping power of the machine is brought into play, and the ingot is pulled loose from the mold.

- While this action is taking place, the upper screw 18 is tending to pull the screw .31 downwardly, so that this force is imparted to the housing 34, which, through the pins 37, im,-

parts the same to the arms 36, and as the latter are now resting onthe top of the mold,

they tend to push the mold downwardly at the same time as the ingot is pulled up wardly. v

5 In operating the mechanism, the operator in the cage 15, in case hedesires to simply lift a mold and shift itfrom one place to another, works his controls in such manner as to bring the overhead trolleydirectly over 5 the mold that is "to be handled. The trolley -is then halted, and by manipulating other controls, the operator lowers the suspended portion of the mechanism while the weight is borne by the cables 29. Obviously, this causes the arms to be spread apart while of the mechanism has been lowered sufliciently, the operator will shift the burden on tov the cables 28, and this will cause the arms 36 to'move'toward one another in order that the eyes at the lower ends of the arms may engage the trunnions ,4 of the mold. Now,

if the cables 28 arewound on their drums,

the extension 21 of the screw 16 will be raised in its barrel 23, and at the same time, the mold may be lifted, and of course, when the mold has been raised sufiiciently, the crane may be shifted to any desired point, and the mo d' may be deposited. In such operation, the winding drums ofthe, cables 28 are rotated in proper direction to unwind these.

cables, so that the suspended part of the mechanism descends. When the mold reaches its new supporting surface, the weight is again shifted on to the cables 29, and this will cause the arms 36 to move apart and release the mold.

l Vhenever it is desired to turn a mold upside down, the eyes 42 ,of the arms 36 are brought into engagement with the trunnions 5, and then when the mold-is lifted, it will reverse, due to the trunnions 5 being located below the center of gravity of the mold.

When an ingot is to be pulled from a mold, it will be noted that the burden of loosening the ingot in the mold is not placed upon-the cables 28, 29, or especiallyupon the rods 50, but this burden is placed directly from the tongs on tothe cap 43 which is moved upwardly by the scr'ewlfi, while the shafts 47 remain at the same horizontal elevation.

The stress on the.cap is imparted by the ram 35 to the nut. 32, which rises on the screw I .19 and thus places the strain on this screw.

However, as the part'18 of the screw is engaging the nut 31, and thelatter cannotmove downwardly, owing to the arms 36 resting on the top of the mold, it will be seen that. the burden is transferred hO-gthG mold, but at the same time, the screw 16 will rise in its barrel. I

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention maybe readily understood, and it is apparent that various changes may be made in thedetails disclosed without departing-from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims. 4

. What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1

1. In an ingot stripper, means for applyiing downward pressure against an 1ngot mold, and stripping mechanismgdirectly connected to said means to 'slmu 'aneously pull the ingot from themold an effort equal to said pressure. I I,

2. In an ingot stripper, means for exerting downward pressure onj-a mold, means for pulling an ingot away from the mold, and

'60 crum means means for placing the pulling strain upon the first mentioned means. a

3. In an ingot stripper, means adapted to rest upon a mold, tongs to engage an ingot carried by the mold, operating mechanism for the tongs, and means for placing strains from the operating mechanism upon the first mentioned means. I

4. In an ingot stripper, means for holding a mold down, tongs for pulling an ingot from the mold, means including a screw having positively pitched threads for operating said tongs, and means for transferring strains placed on the screw to the first mentioned means.

5. In aningot stripper, a housing, arms pivotally mounted on the housing andadapted to rest on an'ingot mold, means for pulling an ingot from the mold, and means for transferring strains from the last mentioned means on to said housing, "whereby the latter, through the arms, places the burden on the mold. i p l 6. In an ingot -stripper, a housing, arms '25 pivot ally connected to said housing and adapted to engage an. ingot mold, means for moving the free ends of the arms toward or away from eachother, means operatively connectedto the housing for ulling an ingot so from the mold, and means ,ibr transferring strains from the last mentioned means on to said housin whereby the arms place such burden on t e mold.

'(a In an ingot stripper, a housing, mold en'- ivotally connected to said housing, extenslons'on said arms, and means for moving said extensions toward or. away from each other.- e

g 8. In an ingot stripper, a housing, mold en- 6 gaging arms pivotally connected to the housing and having extensions, double ended rock- I ing levers 0' eratively connected to said-extensions, an supportin cables connected to the opposite ends of sai double ended levers,

'45 whereby when the weight of the housing and arms is placed on certain of said cables, the arms will be opened, and when; laced'on the other cables, the arms will be osed.

9. In an in 0t stri 'or the evers arranged intermediate the ends of movable toward and away from said fulcrum means, diverging slots providedon the member, trunnions on the levers'engaging said 66 slots, and a ram for reciprocatingsaid memr. a 10. In an ingot stripper, in combination with ingot gripping tongs, a cap for manipulating said tongs, a ram connected to the cap, I a nut connected vto the ram, and a screw adapted to manipulate the nut, for moving the cap toward or away'from said levers. 11. In an ingot stripper, ingot grip levers, a member for manipulating em per, tong overs, the'latter, a membering le- 1 66 vers, a double screw operativelyconnected to said cap, a nut engagin the screw, and means for impartin strains rom the nut on to the mold in whic the-ingot is located.

12. In an ingot stripper, a housing, a double screw in the housin ingot gripping tongs, 70 an operating member or the tongs operatively connected to said screw, mold engaging arms mounted on the housing, and means for imparting strains from the screw on to said housing and arms.

13. In an ingot stripper, a housing, means for raising and lowering said housing, a double screw rotatably and axially movable in the housing, means for rotating said screw, mold engaging arms operatively connected to said housing, a stationary nut in the housing engaging said screw, a second nutengaging another portion of the screw, tongs supported by said housing, and means actuated by the second nut for opening and closing said tongs.

14. An ingot stripper as claimed in claim 13, in which the tongs are supported by rods that slidably engage the housing, and bufier springs for the rods, supported by said hous- 90 1n i In'testimon specification.

whereof, we have signed this ICLINTON'IL. BIGLER.

JOHN KLOOS. 

